Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy mimicking diabetic neuropathy in a young female with type 2 diabetes mellitus

The presentations of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) overlap with those of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). We described a young girl with CIDP underlying type 2 diabetes mellitus, presenting with progressive numbness and limb weakness, who was initially misdiagnosed to have DPN. Finally immunosuppressive therapy got good response.     

Analysis of the contribution of nasopharyngeal epithelial cancer cells to the induction of a local inflammatory response

Purpose

We investigated the local contribution of nasopharyngeal epithelial cancer cells to the inflammatory process.

Materials and methods

THP-1 monocytes were treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate to induce the production of differentiated macrophages (D-THP-1), which were subsequently activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (10?ng/ml). The production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in D-THP-1 cells was detected by ELISA and qRT-PCR. The effects of conditioned media harvested from LPS-treated D-THP-1 cells were investigated with regard to cell proliferation (MTT), production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (ELISA) and activation of NF-??B and STAT3 (western blot) in the nasopharyngeal epithelial cancer cell line 5?C8F.

Results

LPS induced the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-?? (875.1?±?68.31?pg/ml), IL-6 (42.2?±?5.32?pg/ml), IL-1?? (9.6?±?1.34?pg/ml) and IL-8 (19.3?±?3.47?pg/ml) in D-THP-1 cells significantly (P?P?P?P?Conclusions Nasopharyngeal epithelial cancer cells may play a significant role in maintaining and amplifying the inflammation process via activation of NF-??B and STAT3 pathway and through the local production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which recruit and activate additional immune cells in the nasopharyngeal path and promote tumour progression.     

Confirmation of C4 gene copy number variation and the association with systemic lupus erythematosus in Chinese Han population

The distribution of complement component 4 (C4) gene copy number (GCN) has been validated in European populations. Meanwhile, C4 gene has been identified as a susceptibility gene for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the association and the possible phenotype significance remain to be determined intensely in the Chinese population. This study was designed to validate the distribution of C4 GCNs in Chinese Han and the correlation between C4 GCNs and SLE using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in 924 SLE patients and 1,007 controls. The results presented distribution of C4 GCNs in healthy populations and also showed that lower C4 GCN was a risk factor for SLE and higher C4 GCN was a protective factor against the disease susceptibility, which was similar to the report in the Caucasian population. Furthermore, we found the association between C4A GCN and disease subphenotypes of arthritis with SLE. We conclude that the association of C4 GCN with SLE was replicated in Chinese Han population, which highlighted the importance of C4 in SLE pathogenesis of diverse populations.     

Treatment for chronic synovitis of knee: arthroscopic or open synovectomy

Chronic synovitis of knee joints that cannot be treated by conservative measure effectively can be treated successfully by the operations through resecting the inflamed synovium. The operations include open synovectomy and arthroscopic synovectomy. The purpose of this study is to compare the two operations in alleviating symptoms and cosmetic effect. There were 42 patients in this study, and they suffered from chronic synovitis of knee joints, including rheumatoid arthritis and non-specific synovitis. Twenty-two knees of 22 patients underwent arthroscopic synovectomy with two to five approaches whose lengths were about 1.0?cm, and 20 knees of 20 patients underwent open synovectomy with two approaches whose lengths were more than 10.0?cm. Patients were evaluated by visual analog scale for pain at the 24th hour after operation. Patients were followed up for 16–20?months and were evaluated by the Ogilvie–Harris scoring system. This study showed that both arthroscopic synovectomy and open synovectomy successfully alleviated the symptoms and the short-term results are similar after operation. However, the scars in the patients of the former group were much shorter than the latter group. Pain intensity of patients underwent arthroscopic synovectomy was less than that of open synovectomy at the 24th hour after operation. Both operations could treat chronic synovitis successfully. However, the arthroscopic synovectomy is the preferred operation due to fast recovery, less postoperative pain, and excellent cosmetic effect.     

Seasonal distribution of systemic lupus erythematosus activity and its correlation with climate factors

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease with a variety of clinical manifestations. Although inter-individual variations exist with respect to susceptibility to develop SLE, no study has been carried out to determine the role of different climate conditions in predisposing the susceptible individuals to SLE. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of different seasons and climate factors on SLE activity. From 2000 to 2009, the seasonal distribution of 2,802 active SLE patients recruited from Anhui Provincial Hospital and the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University was analyzed retrospectively. The climate data were provided by the Institute of Geographical Sciences and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The correlation between climate factors and SLE activity was also analyzed. The proportion of active SLE patients in winter, spring, summer, and autumn was 10.06, 10.31, 9.74, and 8.66‰, respectively. In autumn, the proportion was much lower than that in winter and spring (P < 0.05). The proportion among winter, spring, and summer had no statistical difference (P > 0.05). The number of active SLE patients had no correlation with air temperature (r = 0.483, P > 0.05), relative humidity (r = -0.294, P > 0.05), and sunshine percentage (r = 0.503, P > 0.05), but it had positive correlation with amount of precipitation (r = 0.601, P < 0.05), wind velocity (r = 0.713, P < 0.01), and sunshine duration (r = 0.769, P < 0.01) and negative correlation with barometric pressure (r = -0.664, P < 0.05). The disease activity of patients with SLE is affected by seasons and climate factors.     

Neuroprotective effect of neurotropin on chronic oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity in stage II and stage III colorectal cancer patients: results from a prospective, randomised, single-centre, pilot clinical trial

Background

Oxaliplatin is effective in adjuvant and first-line colorectal cancer chemotherapy. Oxaliplatin-induced severe chronic neurotoxicity is the main dose-limiting adverse event. No standard treatment for oxaliplatin-induced chronic neurotoxicity has been identified.

Materials and methods

We conducted a prospective pilot clinical trial to explore whether neurotropin has neuroprotective effects on chronic neurotoxicity. From May 1, 2010 to May 1, 2011, 80 stage II and III colorectal cancer patients who were eligible to receive oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy voluntarily enrolled in the trial. The patients were randomly divided into two groups, one of which received neurotropin treatment.

Results

The patients in the control group experienced significantly????grade 2 and????grade 3 neurotoxicity (by NCI CTCAE grading) than those in the neurotropin group (60.9 vs. 21.1?%, for at least grade 2 neurotoxicity, P?=?0.001; 39 vs. 2.7?%, for at least grade 3 neurotoxicity, P?<?0.001). If neurotoxicity was assessed by oxaliplatin-specific neurotoxicity grading, the patients in the control group also experienced significantly more????grade 2 neurotoxicity (51.2 vs. 12.5?%, P?=?0.001). Neurotropin was the only factor that affected the incidence of????grade 2 neurotoxicity in the multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.

Conclusion

Neurotropin combined with oxaliplatin decreases chronic neurotoxicity effectively and safely.